Head rest



Dec. 1, 1964 c KERR 3,159,426

HEAD REST Filed Feb. 12 1962 ill INVBVTOR. KENNETH C. KERR I syia w wATTORNEY United States Patent on ice 3,159,426 Patented Dec. 1, 19643,159,426 HEAD REST Kenneth C. Kerr, 1222 5. Riverside, Medford, Oreg.Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,389 6 Claims. (Cl. 297-408) Thisinvention relates to new and novel improvements in head rests and isexemplified herein for use as a dental chair head rest, although it isto be understood that the device may serve as well for otherapplications.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a head restof improved contour, and more particularly one which has a transversecurvature for firmly supporting the head and neck, which has sideopenings for receiving the ears, and which has lower, side projectionscapable of providing a firm support for a persons aw.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a headrest having novel support means therefor wherein the head rest isadjustably pivotal on a horizontal axis and furthermore is movable on alaterally disposed arcuate track for positioning a persons head instraight forward or turned positions.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a head restpivotally supported on a horizontal axis and the axis is disposed in aplane substantially horizontal with the neck pivot of a personsupporting his head in the rest.

It is a further object to provide an improved track structure for a headrest allowing the head rest to be moved on the track to various turnedpositions.

It is still another object to provide a head rest having novel means forturning the same from side to side and incorporating structurefacilitating a power drive therefor.

Still another object is to proivde a laterally movable head rest havingmeans for locking the head rest in desired positions of lateraladjustment.

Yet another object is to proivde a head rest which by a novelconstruction facilitates the application of speaker means therein forentertaining the person using it.

Briefly stated, the present device employs a head rest member, bracketsupport means, and means interconnecting the head rest member and thebracket support means whereby the head rest member is pivotal on ahorizontal axis and also is turnable from side to side. The head restmember has a design providing for positive support for the head as Wellas the neck, it has a side contour forming ear openings, and it haslower, side projections which are adapted for engagement by the jaw. Thedevice also employs locking means for positioning the head rest in aselected turned position and also has means facilitating power drive formoving said head rest in its laterally turning movement.

The invention will be better understood and the manner in which theforegoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will beapparent from the accompanying specification and claims consideredtogether with the drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the present head rest and showingin phantom lines a persons head supported therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view looking clownwardly, taken on theline 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of supporting and trackmeans for the head rest, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 and showingthe track means laid out in a fiat condition;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2 andshowing in particular locking means for anchoring the head rest inselected turned positions of the head;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of head rest supportingstructure incorporating power drive means therein.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, the present inventionemploys a head rest 10 which, as apparent in FIGURE 2, is laterallyarcuate for receiving comfortably the back side of a person's head. Thismember is constructed of a suitably contoured rear frame element 14 andfront padding or cushioning 16 and is suitably upholstered to present apleasing appearance.

As apparent in FIGURE 1, the upright dimension of the head rest memberis such as to support the back of the head as Well as the neck of aperson. The terminal forwardly directed edges of the head rest arecurved at 18, FIGURE 1, so as to be disposed behind the persons earwhereby the ear does not engage head rest structure. The curvatures 18lead into lower, forwardly directed projections 20 which aresulficiently elongated to provide lateral support throughout asubstantial length of the jaw.

Securely fixed to the frame member 14 of the head rest, as by screws 24,is an arcuate roller mounting base 26. Secured to the base 26 are upperand lower pins 28 on which are mounted flanged support rollers 30.Bushings 32 are carried on the pins 28 intermediate the rollers 30 andthe base 26 for positioning said rollers in selective spaced positionfrom the base. As best apparent in FIG- URE 3 there are a pair of upperrollers and a pair of lower rollers.

Also supported on the base 26 is a pair of vertically disposed backingrollers 34, these rollers being mounted between suitable ears 36 securedto the base.

Flanged rollers 30 engage an arcuate track 40 for supporting the headrest thereon, the track being engaged within the flanged portion of therollers and the rollers 34 engaging the back surface of the track. Thusit is apparent that the head rest member is movable on the track andcapable of positioning the head rest straight forward or in variouslaterally turned positions to each side thereof, the rollers 30supporting the head rest on the track and providing turning movementthereof on the track, and the rollers 34 hearing the backward leaningweight of the persons head.

Track 40 is supported by an arcuate frame member 42 having a standard 44adapted for connection to a chair frame. In the case of dental chairs,clamp means 46 are provided on the chair and engageable with thestandard 44 to accommodate vertical adjustment of the latter.

Securement of the track 40 to the arcuate frame member 42 isaccomplished through the intermediary of V- shaped brackets 50 havingone leg thereof secured to the track 40, as by means of screws 52disposed through slots 54 in the bracket and threaded in tapped bores inthe track 40. The slots 54 are elongated to provide for suitablepositioning in mounting, and the screws 52 are of minimum length so asnot to extend through the track 4!] whereby rollers 34 have free rollingengagement on the track in the plane of the screws.

The other legs of the V-shaped brackets 50 are attached to the framemember 42 by means of screws 56. More particularly, the screws 56, in apreferred arrangement, pass freely through apertures in brackets 50 andare threaded in tapped bores in the frame member 42 to pivotally supportthe brackets 50. Disposed between the head of screws 56 and brackets 50are spring means such as coil springs 58 and upon tightening the screwsa selected amount to compress the springs the head rest is anchoredrather firmly but yet capable of pivotal adjustment on said screws.

Brackets 50 are narrower than the track 40, FIGURE 3, so that theflanged rollers 30 are movable into the plane thereof. Thus, theserollers may move along the track to substantially the ends thereof ifnecessary. Resilient stops 59 are mounted at the ends of track 40 forabutment by rollers 30, these stops being sufficiently wide to beengaged by said rollers.

It will be apparent that the present head rest is pivotal on ahorizontal axis, i.e. on the screws 56, and also is movable on the track40 to provide straight forward positioning thereof as well as laterallyturned positions. Thus when the head rest is used on a dental chair thedentist can achieve any head position of the patient desired. When it isdesired that the jaw be supported firmly as when extracting a tooth, thehead is turned in the head rest whereby to bring the jaw into abutmentwith the jaw supports 20. The back of the head, the neck, and the jaware securely supported so that the dentist need not be concerned withcausing injuries to a patient from lack of jaw support.

For the purpose of locking the head rest against movement on the track40, a friction locking roller 60, shown in delail in FIGURES 4 and 5, ismounted on a bent or curved shaft 62 rotatably supported in verticallyspaced ears 64 secured suitably to base 26. Shaft 62 has an integralturning handle 66 at its upper end. Roller is disposed intermediate thebase 26 and the track 40 and is positioned and dimensioned such thatwhen rotated to a position wherein the bent portion of the shaft isdirected toward the track the roller securely engages the track to lockthe head rest in a stationary position. When the locking roller isrotated to a position with the bent portion of the shaft parallel to thetrack or toward the head rest the roller is disengaged from the track 40and the head rest is movable freely on the track.

It is also within the purview of the present invention to provide powerdrive means for moving the head rest relative to the track. For thispurpose, and with reference to FIGURE 6, a drive friction roller 70 isintegrally secured to a flexible shaft 72 journaled in ears 74 securedto base 26. Flexible shaft 72 leads to suitable power means such as anelectric motor and the friction roller 70 is mounted so as to be in firmabutting relation with strap 40. Thus upon powered rotation of suchfriction roller the head rest is driven along the track 40.

The present invention also employs sound speakers in the head rest. Forthis purpose, head rest frame 14 has apertures 78 preferably in the jawsupports 20, and mounted over these apertures on the outer surface offrame 14 are speakers 80. Outer caps 82 are provided to protect thespeakers.

Padding 16 has an opening 84 for the direct transmission of sound fromthe speaker to the inner area of the curved head rest, and anyupholstery material which covers the head rest is suitably aperturedadjacent the inner end of the opening 84 or turned in to define theopening in the padding as shown in FIGURE 2. Also, a protective meshmaterial 86 is provided over the inner end of openings 78 to protect thespeakers on the inner side of the head rest.

Lead wires 88 from the speakers are directed along the inner surface ofthe frame 14 to a plug-in assembly 90 whereby a convenient attachment toamplifier and sound apparatus, not shown, is achieved.

Thus, music may be broadcast to a person using the head rest. In thecase of a dental chair head rest, the patient through the medium ofmusic, instructive programs, or other types of entertainment is causedto relax. This reduces the anxiety usually existing in dental patientsand obviously improves working conditions for the dentist. Such soundapparatus may also be employed for accomplishing hypnosis.

The particular structure of the head rest as incorporating the speakermeans in the jaw support facilitates entertainment of the user withoutcovering the ears. The users head is free for movement in the rest andsince his ears are not covered, communication with the person using all)the rest can readily be accomplished. Also, the use of two speakers, oneon each side of the head facilitates the application of stereophonicsound to the head rest.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A head rest comprising a laterally arcuate portion for supporting theback of a persons head and having terminal forwardly directed edges, atleast one of the terminal edges having a projecting portion leadingforwardly at a point adjacent the lower end thereof to project in anarea below and forwardly of the ear of a person Whose head is supportedin the head rest, thereby forming a lateral jaw support.

2. The head rest of claim 1 including rearwardly recessed portions inthe said terminal edges above the jaw supports to form car openings.

3. The head rest of claim 1 wherein a jaw support is provided on eachside of the head rest and said jaw supports comprise a fixed andintegral extension of the head rest, said head rest including supportmeans therefor, and means connecting said head rest to said supportmeans for rotatable adjustment on a horizontal axis.

4. The head rest of claim 3 including means connecting said head rest tosaid support means for lateral movement on an arcuate path to vary theforward facing direction of the head rest.

5. A head rest comprising a laterally arcuate portion for supporting theback of a persons head and having terminal forwardly directed edges, atleast one of the terminal edges having a projecting portion leadingforwardly at a point adjacent the lower end thereof to project in anarea below and forwardly of the ear of a person whose head is supportedin the head rest, thereby forming a lateral jaw support, said head restincluding support means therefor, an arcuate track pivotally connectedto said support means on a horizontal axis, roller means on said headrest rotatable on a horizontal axis and engaged with said track tosupport the head rest on the track for adjusting movement to vary theforward facing direction of the head rest, and releasable lock meansbetween said head rest and said track for releasably locking said headrest.

6. A head rest comprising a laterally arcuate portion for supporting theback of a persons head and having terminal forwardly directed edges, atleast one of the terminal edges having a projecting portion leadingforwardly at a point adjacent the lower end thereof to project in anarea below and forwardly of the ear of a person whose head is supportedin the head rest, thereby forming a lateral jaw support, said head restincluding support means therefor, an arcuate track pivotally connectedto said support means on a horizontal axis, first roller means on saidhead rest rotatable on a horizontal axis and engaged with said track tosupport the head rest on the track for adjusting movement to vary theforward facing direction of the head rest, second roller means rotatableon a vertical axis and interengaged between said head rest and saidtrack to bear rearward forces imparted on said head rest and therebyprovide substantially a friction free adjusting movement of said headrest on said track, and releasable lock means between said head rest andsaid track for releasably locking said head rest.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS937,343 Wallace Oct. 19, 1909 1,257,427 Underwood Feb. 26, 19182,629,023 La Fitte Feb. 17, 1953

1. A HEAD REST COMPRISING A LATERALLY ARCUATE PORTION FOR SUPPORTING THEBACK OF A PERSON''S HEAD AND HAVING TERMINAL FORWARDLY DIRECTED EDGES,AT LEAST ONE OF THE TERMINAL EDGES HAVING A PROJECTING PORTION LEADINGFORWARDLY AT A POINT ADJACENT THE LOWER END THEREOF TO PROJECT IN ANAREA BELOW AND FORWARDLY OF THE EAR OF A PERSON WHOSE HEAD IS SUPPORTEDIN THE HEAD REST, THEREBY FORMING A LATERAL JAW SUPPORT.